NHS must lead by example on sustainability
Meeting the needs of today without compromising the future
Wednesday, 27 June 2007
- State of environment fundamentally threatens human existence and poses massive health threats to UK population
- Manifesto launched calling for health workers to campaign for sustainability
- Faculty of Public Health endorses manifesto and carbon audits annual conference
The sustainability agenda is now crucial to all our lives and the National Health Service is ideally placed to lead by example, delegates at the Faculty of Public Health's annual conference in Eastbourne will hear today (27.06.07). As the biggest single organisation in the UK and one of the largest employers in the world, the NHS must use its immense capacity and buying power to lead the way in reducing carbon emissions and demands on the environment, and to promote good practice.
The Faculty of Public Health has signed up to the Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development Manifesto , which seeks to encourage all those working in health in the UK to take the lead and set a sustainable example. The manifesto calls on the NHS to work in partnership with communities, local authorities, business and environmental organisations and to lead the way in consuming far fewer resources.
Whilst the green movement has moved on at a brilliant pace, the issues of environment and health have become somewhat fragmented. However, it is impossible to view the two separately. This is more than evident from the dire predictions for UK public health if climate change continues unabated – huge increases in the number of deaths caused by heat, along with incidences of skin cancer, cataracts and food poisoning; and the potentially devastating consequences of major flooding and other extreme weather incidents. On top of this, climate change threatens access to water, the ability to produce food and the way we use land – all of which are basic elements of human existence.
Jenny Griffiths, who helped develop the manifesto, comments, “As public health professionals we must consider how the environmental impact of modern life threatens public health. Environmental inequalities do not only exist between countries, but also within them. Often, the most deprived and disadvantaged people within the UK are exposed to the most environmental hazards and this seriously impacts upon their health and well-being. By launching this manifesto at the Faculty of Public Health's annual conference, we hope to empower public health professionals to return to their homes and places of work and to change the way resources are consumed. This will have long-term benefits for the health of society.”
So what can people working in the health service – or indeed anywhere – do to help reduce their carbon and environmental footprint? “People can think carefully about how they travel to work and the journeys they take within their working lives,” says Dr Alison Hill. “A lot of people travel to meetings when they could be using technology like conference calls, video conferencing and webcasts instead. They can also think about turning down the thermostat in their buildings during winter and switching off electrical devices rather than leaving them on standby. There's an awful lot that can be done to reduce energy consumption.”
To prove that it practices what it preaches, the Faculty of Public Health is undertaking an environmental audit of its entire annual conference this year, from how much waste is produced and how it's disposed of, to how much energy is used and whether the food provided for delegates is locally-sourced and organic. Delegates will also be asked to complete a detailed travel questionnaire.
Dr Penelope Toff, from the South East Public Health Observatory, comments, “We are delighted to see that the Faculty of Public Health is being environmentally responsible in relation to its conference. We conducted a study earlier this year to investigate the environmental impact of running a similar conference. Data arising from the Faculty's audit will build on this and provide us with further information as to how we can reduce the environmental footprint of future conferences. The audit's most important legacy will be the changes delegates are inspired to make back at home and in their organisations.”
“Public health and sustainable development go hand in hand,” says Faculty President Alan Maryon Davis. “This is a crucial issue for the FPH to put its full weight behind. We are supporting advocacy at a national level and also encouraging our members to make those important local links to push really hard on the climate change agenda. It's absolutely vital for future generations.”
-Ends-
Notes to editors
For further information, or general media enquiries, contact Aurora
Aaron Pond / Claire Eldridge
aaron@auroracomms.com / claire@auroracomms.com
020 7424 7943 / 020 7424 7942
07872 812 405 / 07736 277 106
Experts available for interview
- Prof Alan Maryon Davis,
Incoming President, The Faculty of Public Health - Jenny Griffiths,
co-founder, Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development Network - Dr Alison Hill,
co-founder, Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development Network - Dr Penelope Toff,
South East Public Health Observatory
Also available for interview:
Angela Mawle, Chief Executive , UK Public Health Association (UKPHA)
The UKPHA is also calling for immediate action from all government and business leaders in the UK in order to reverse the trend of climate change. The UKPHA launched a report this month, entitled “Climate and Change, The Urgent Need to Connect Health and Sustainable Development”. Amongst its recommendations, the report calls for the creation of a ‘Health and Sustainability Czar'.
Angela comments, “For us, this report signifies the end of political rhetoric and empty promises and the start of us all turning fine words and vision into positive action. It is our mission to concentrate professional, political and public minds on the urgency of acting together.”
The Manifesto
We believe that:
- Climate change will increasingly damage health and society, for example through the effects of heat, extreme weather and changes in disease patterns
- As the largest single organisation in the UK , the NHS should lead the way in reducing carbon emissions by consuming much less natural resources
- Because the most vulnerable people often live in the worst environments, environmental inequalities are linked to health inequalities
- A healthy environment promotes good health; for example access to nature is good for mental health
- The NHS should work in partnership with communities, local authorities, environmental organisations, businesses and others to improve local environments and health
- We should be aware of the poverty of billions of people around the world, who live daily with the health consequences of environmental degradation
We undertake to:
- Work with Government departments and agencies, and with the European Commission, to strengthen the implementation of policies on climate change and sustainable consumption and production
- Argue for the inclusion of sustainable development principles and practices in all public health and health care policy documents
- Argue for the widespread implementation of policies that simultaneously improve health and develop sustainable communities, for example, local food supply and improved nutrition, better-quality affordable low-energy housing
- Work with NHS providers and commissioners to procure more local goods and services, improve building design, reduce energy and water use, improve waste management, employ more local people and engage with local communities
- Take action to make available training on sustainable policies and practices for all NHS staff and to include relevant responsibilities in job descriptions
- Lead by example by undertaking personal carbon audits and developing action plans, and encouraging others to do the same
What tools are available to health service professionals wishing to conduct their own audits?
To find out more about the The Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development Manifesto contact:
- Jenny Griffiths. GriffHobbs@aol.com / 01483 474240
- Alison Hill. Alison.Hill@SEPHO.nhs.uk / 01865 334714
Individuals who wish to conduct their own audits should contact Dr Penelope Toff to find out how.
- penelope.toff@sepho.nhs.uk / 01865 334735
Definitions
Ecological footprint
Ecological footprint is a measure of resource consumption and environmental impact, expressed as land usage in global hectares (gha) per person per year. Resources are consumed globally so these hectares may be from any part of the world. The ecological footprint can be measured for an individual, organisation, region or event. A fair ‘earthshare' has been estimated to be an annual footprint of around 1.8gha for each person on the planet. In the UK the average annual footprint has been calculated to be three times this at 5.4gha.
Carbon footprint
Carbon dioxide emissions are the biggest contributor to global climate change by volume. Carbon footprint is environmental impact expressed as weight of carbon dioxide emissions, usually in tonnes. Given a global population of six billion, it has been estimated that the planet could sustain an emission of 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person a year. The average annual emission in the UK is currently about 12 tonnes per person, equivalent to 33Kg of carbon dioxide a day.
What is the Faculty of Public Health?
The Faculty is the professional body for senior public health specialists in the UK who aim to advance the health of the population. It sets and maintains professional and educational standards, and advocates on key public health issues, including providing practical information and guidance for public health professionals. For further general information visit the Faculty's website: www.fph.org.uk . For further information about the Faculty's annual conference visit www.publichealthconferences.org.uk
The Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development network
The Convergence of Health and Sustainable Development network is an umbrella organisation launched to encourage sustainability among health professionals. Signatories to its manifesto undertake to argue for the inclusion of sustainable development principles in all health policy documents and work with NHS providers and commissioners to make sure far more goods, services and food supplies are procured from local sources and to improve energy efficiency in building design.